Fairey Swordfish "FAIREY SWORDFISH HS554" ï¿½2000, enhanced photo by Lance Russwurm The HISTORY of The FAIREY SWORDFISH While it isn't unusual for a lumbering, outmoded anachronism to continue in service (such as fifty year old B-52's soldiering on in U.S. service), few of these had as successful a career as the Fairey Swordfish. The design dated back to the early thirties when the British Air Ministry issued specification S.9/30 for a "fleet spotter reconnaissance aircraft". The Fairey Aviation Company submitted a privately financed design. Later design improvements led to the designation "Torpedo spotter reconnaissance". It was a large, slow biplane with a low wing loading, ideal for actions off carrier decks. The structure was largely metal, covered with fabric. The first machine was powered by a Bristol Pegasus IIM air-cooled, nine cylinder radial, developing 635 hp. These were severely underpowered. The next, much improved, prototype used a Pegasus IIIM3 with 775 hp.

First flown in 1934, this aircraft exceeded the governments demands, so an order was placed for the first 86 production examples in 1935. The first deliveries were made in the following year, further orders continuing well after the beginning of the war. The three seater airplane could easily lift off a carrier deck with a standard 18 inch 1,610 lb. torpedo slung between the wheels under the fuselage. It's ungainly looks gave it the nickname "Stringbag", after a type of shopping bag used to carry all manner of things by old English ladies. In spite of it's seeming lack of sophistication, the Swordfish was to prove excellent in its intended role. Although highly vulnerable to attack by fighter planes, it's low speed and stable stance made it easy to line up for a torpedo attack, coming in from abeam of a hostile vessel, while staying below the level the enemy ships could fire their guns. It's slow flying speed made landings much safer on carriers.....into the wind, the closing speed could be as little as 30 knots. Because they were helpless against fighters, these airplanes were usually only operated far out sea, where land based opposition could not reach.

Swordfish based at Malta were operated at night and were all but invulnerable to the opposition. Starting in 1940, squadrons of Swordfish stationed here had sunk more than a million and a half tons of enemy shipping....a record never to be equaled. Maintenance was a breeze on such a simple design. "ILLUSTRIOUS" COMBAT HISTORY OF THE TYPE Swordfish were used tentatively for escort duty at the very beginning, until they had a chance to prove themselves. This soon came to pass, when a floatplane version, flown by W.M.L. Brown off the HMS WARSPITE was used to spot for the guns of that ship, resulting in the destruction of seven German destroyers. (Brown dealt the finishing blow to one of these with a bomb from his aircraft). Shortly afterwards, the same pilot executed the first dive bombing attack by the Fleet Air Arm, resulting in the sinking of a U-boat. ********** The Swordfish became legend when they made naval history at TARANTO, Italy. The modern Italian fleet was anchored here on the night of November 11, 1940.

That evening, two strike forces of twelve aircraft each, were launched from the aircraft carrier HMS ILLUSTRIOUS. Under a full moon, with total tactical surprise, they evaded heavy fire and barrage balloons around the port, came in low and sank one battleship and crippled two others. A heavy cruiser and a destroyer were also severely damaged. This strike reduced Italian naval power by half, for a loss of only two Swordfish (one crew). The Japanese envoy in Italy took a great interest in this attack, studying its execution carefully. The Taranto raid, by proving the vulnerability of closely moored ships to aerial attack from aircraft carriers, showed the way to the future of air power. He was shortly recalled to Tokyo and was instrumental in planning the attack on Pearl Harbor against the Americans. This, of course, had an immense effect on world events and the course of the war. ********** The other fabled exploit by Swordfish involves their part in the sinking of the famous BISMARCK.

After a long cat-and-mouse sea chase by the Royal Navy, it was two torpedo hits from Swordfish of 818 Squadron, operating off the carrier HMS ARK ROYAL, that finally succeeeded in damaging the steering and crippling the German ship. This allowed other fleet ships to catch and destroy her with gunfire and surface torpedoes. Swordfish assembled in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia were used on merchant ships with hastlly added flight decks to guard convoys in the Atlantic. These were known as MERCHANT AIRCRAFT CARRIERS or MAC ships, for short. ********** Special Canadian closed cockpit versions were used throughout the war in Naval Air Gunner and torpedo training out of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. They were even used by Canada briefly after the war, until being replaced by Fairey Fireflies and Supermarine Seafires. (the navalized Spitfire) ********** A total of 2, 396 Swordfish were built. After being withdrawn from service, seven were bought as scrap for $50 each by ERNIE SIMMONS , an eccentric Tillsonburg collector. There they languished, severely deteriorating, exposed to the elements, until Mr.

Simmons death in 1970. One of these aircraft was purchased at auction by Bob Spence, of Muirkirk, Ontario. Mr. Spence undertook the huge task of a private restoration and finally, in 1992, the aircraft was flown again. It is now a much loved fixture on the airshow circuit, and is one of only two flying examples in the world. The other is in Britain. -article by Lance Russwurm BOB SPENCE'S SWORDFISH - HS 554- photo by Lance Russwurm A similar Swordfish as it was on day of the Simmons Auction sale...HS 554 was in this kind of condition too. SPECIFICATIONS of THE SWORDFISH MANUFACTURER: Fairey Aircraft Co. Ltd./ Blackburn Aircraft Co. Ltd. TYPE: two or three seat, carrier based, or floatplane equipped torpedo bomber, spotter, reconnaissance naval aircraft POWERPLANT: one 690 hp. Bristol PegasusIIIM.3 or one 750hp.

Pegasus XXX WEIGHTS: EMPTY: 5200 lbs, MAXIMUM TAKE-OFF WEIGHT: 9,250 lbs DIMENSIONS: WING SPAN: 45' 6" (17' 3" with wings folded), LENGTH: 36' 4", HEIGHT: 12' 10", WING AREA: 607 sq. ft. PERFORMANCE: MAXIMUM SPEED: 139 mph., CRUISING SPEED: 104-129 mph., CLIMB TO 5000 FT: 19 minutes, 0 seconds, RANGE: 350 nm, SERVICE CEILING: 15,000 feet ARMAMENT: one fixed .303 Browning mg and/or one flexible .303 Lewis or Vickers mg aft. OFFENSIVE: one 18" 1,650 lb under slung torpedo, or, one 1,500 lb mine, or, three 500 lb bombs, or, two 550 lb and two 250 lb bombs, or, three Mk.

VII depth charges, or, eight 60 lb rockets. Fairey Swordfish - Great Britain Military Airplanes of World War II Fairey Swordfish The Fairey Swordfish was the most widely used British carrier-based airplane of World War II. It was a big, unsophisticated biplane, slow and cumbersome. It looked antiquated, because it was, but it served until the end of the war and survived its intended replacement. Initially, Swordfishes operated from the large fleet carriers. Later Swordfishes operated from escort carriers, and were very effective against U-boats. The nickname Stringbag indicated the versatility of the Swordfish, which could carry an unlikely combination of loads, but also referred to its jungle of bracing wires, which belonged to a past age. At the outbreak of war, the Fleet Air Arm had 13 squadrons equipped with Swordfishes, most of them based on the six fleet carriers, and three flights of Swordfishes with floats, that operated from catapult-equipped warships. There was little combat until the German invasion of Norway in the spring of 1940. . Then Swordfishes in the Atlantic region conducted mine-laying operations.

In the Mediterranean, Swordfishes based on Malta flew anti-shipping strikes, usually at night, against Italian convoys to North Africa. They sank an average of 50,000 tons per month. Swordfishes were eventually operated from 14 escort carriers and 18 MAC (Merchant Aircraft Carrier) ships. MAC ships were converted oil tankers or grain ships, with a flight deck but minimal maintenance facilities, and the aircraft were continuously exposed to the often appalling weather. For operations from small flight decks with heavy loads, rocket-assisted take-offs were necessary. In their anti-submarine role, the Swordfishes were very successful. They usually flew patrols at night, patrolling between 145km and 40km ahead of the convoy. Targets were located with radar, and investigated by dropping flares. Total production was 2396 aircraft. Fairey Swordfish - en Fairey Swordfish By far the most succesful and famous biplane fighting aircraft of WWII. Its naval nickname was "Stringbag". Little different from the biplanes of World War I and totally obsolete by World War II, the Fairey Swordfish remarkably remained operational until after 1945.

Slow and almost defenceless, it was a successful torpedo bomber against light opposition. Swordfish crippled the italian fleet at Tarente and helped to sink the German Bismarck. Its main advantage was strength, ease of maintenance, and viceless flying qualities. Swordfish could be flown from aircraft carriers, even in rough seas. By the end of 1941, the wartime Swordfish was confined mainly to anti-submarine operations. In Canada, Swordfish operated from the Naval Gunnery School in Yarmouth and the Royal Navy Station at Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. In 1946, Fleet Requirement Unit 743 (RCN) was equipped with Swordfish. General characteristics Swordfish Mk. II Primary function WW2 Warbirds: the Fairey Swordfish Stringbag - Frans Bonné The Fairey Swordfish Stringbag Great Britain 'Stringbag' was the nickname of this aircraft, and when you view the picture below you can see why. The aircraft excelled in bad performance, and thus was called one of the finest warplanes in World War 2, I'm not joking! The Swordfish came to that reputation largely because it was an anachronism.

Not only was it a biplane in the time of high performance monoplanes, but also with such low performance that it was difficult for monoplane fighters to fly slow enough to hold it in their sights for more than a very short moment and for anti-aircraft guns to track it with sights calibrated for use against faster warplanes. Also, the Swordfish was rugged, reliable, versatile in terms of weapons and equipment, and had such excellent handling characteristics that it could be flown in most weather conditions from any aircraft or escort carrier. Versions: Conversions of Mk II's, with an enclosed cockpit for colder areas (eastern coast of Canada). Number converted: unknown Remarks: Talk of Irony: the Swordfish was so bad that it was very good at evading enemy fire... But not only that. The real stunning facts are that it out-lived 2 years of front-line service over its so called successor (the Fairey Albacore), and that it sank more Axis ships-tonnage that any other warplane� The first Swordfish action saw the first coordinated torpedo attack in the history of air warfare: Swordfishes attacked two destroyers in Trondheim Norway, sinking one of them.

Two days later, one Swordfish achieved an incredible feat during the 1st Battle of Narvik: spotting for the 15 in (381 mm) guns of the battleship HMS Warspite, the Swordfish performed so well that the Warspite and her escorting destroyers sank or caused the scuttling of seven German destroyers, and the Swordfish then dive-bombed a German submarine that promptly sank. By this time other squadrons were heavily involved in the British minelaying effort and also in the bombing of German-held ports together with the coastal shipping plying between them. After Italy�s entry into the War in June 1940, Swordfish's based on Malta started to play havoc with Italy�s Mediterranean shipping: over a period of seven months, a force that never exceeded 27 aircraft sank a monthly average of more than 50,000 tons.

Undoubtedly the greatest feat of the Swordfish, however, was the crippling of the Italian fleet in Taranto harbor: for the loss of only two aircraft, 20 aircraft attacked by night and succeeded in sinking the battleship RN Conte di Cavour and 2 auxiliary ships, severely damaging two other battleships including one that had to be beached and two cruisers, and damaging two destroyers Further credits to the Swordfish in its primary torpedo-bombing role included the crippling of the German battleship KMS Bismarck during her Atlantic sortie of May 1941, allowing British surface forces to close and sink her, and the incredibly gallant but futile attempt by No.825 Squadron, which lost all six of its aircraft and 13 out of 18 men, to cripple the German battle-cruisers KMS Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, together with the heavy cruiser KMS Prinz Eugen, as they ran up the English Channel from Brest in north-western France to Germany during February 1942. This was the last major torpedo-bomber effort made by the Swordfish, which came increasingly into its own as a destroyer of coastal shipping and submarines with rockets.

Strengths: Such bad performance that it was hard to hit Able to take a lot of damage Weaknesses: RNAS Crail: Naval Air Torpedo Training Photograph of Crail village (top), the sea on left and base with runways taken during WW2. The 700 series squadrons were the training schools for the FAA. Aircraft flown: Swordfish and Albacore Swordfish dropping torpedo. GMA logbook The Fairey Swordfish, the legendary ï¿½Stringbagï¿½, was a Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance biplane dive-bomber which went into service with the Fleet Air Arm pre-war in 1936. Initially, Swordfishes operated from the large fleet carriers. Later Swordfishes operated from escort carriers, and were very effective against U-boats. The nickname Stringbag indicated the versatility of the Swordfish, which could carry an unlikely combination of loads, but also referred to its jungle of bracing wires, which belonged to a past age. The Swordfish remained operational until the end of the war, gaining the distinction of being the last biplane to see active service.

At the outbreak of war, the Fleet Air Arm had 13 squadrons equipped with Swordfishes, most of them based on the six fleet carriers, and three flights of Swordfishes with floats, that operated from catapult-equipped warships. After this time, Swordfishes operated from 14 escort carriers and 18 MAC (Merchant Aircraft Carrier) ships. MAC ships were converted oil tankers or grain ships, with a flight deck but minimal maintenance facilities, and the aircraft were continuously exposed to the often Arctic weather conditions. For operations from small flight decks with heavy loads, rocket-assisted take-offs were necessary. In their anti-submarine role, the Swordfish were very successful. They usually flew patrols at night, patrolling between 145km and 40km ahead of the convoy. Targets were located with radar, and investigated by dropping flares. The final Swordfish was delivered in August, 1944 and the last front-line Swordfish Fleet Air Arm unit was 836 squadron (GMA in 836 squadron Aug 1942 to May 1943), which disbanded on 21 May 1945.

However, the Swordfish continued in second-line training duties until Summer 1946. Control panel of typical swordfish (FAA museum- photographed October 2010) The Stringbag song below is from "The Fleet Air Arm Song Book". This is a collection of songs (clean and otherwise) from the foundation of the RNAS (Royal Naval Air Service (in WWI)) which became the FAA. Fairey Albacore The Fairey "Albacore" was a single-engine biplane designed as a torpedo-spotter reconnaissance aircraft. It was an all-metal monocoque fuselaged biplane, with wings braced with wire and covered with fabric. It also had an heated enclosed cabin and was nicknamed the "Applecore" and regarded pleasant to fly. By 1942 there were 15 Fleet Air Arm squadrons equipped with the Albacore, several of them shore-based in North Africa. The main use of the Albacore was in coastal operations, the aircraft usually operating singly at night. The Albacore was retired before the Swordfish, and started to be replaced from 1942 by the Fairey Barracuda and Grumman Avenger.

Early History of Crail Airfield Crail Airfield is the best surviving example of a WW2 Fleet Air Arm airfield in the United Kingdom and is designated a scheduled ancient monument. The airfield was originally established during the First World War but none of the structures associated with that phase of its use are thought to survive. Formerly known as HMS Jackdaw, the present Crail airfield was constructed in 1939 and functioned throughout the war as a naval training base. Naval air operations ceased in 1947. The site continued as HMS Bruce, a naval training unit. During the Cold War, military use continued between 1952 and 1960 as the Joint Services (Russian) Language School. Since 1960 part of the airfield has been a pig farm. Part of the Crail site showing the aircraft hangers in the foreground and part of the runways on the left. The airfield is clustered into two groups of buildings.

The western group consisted of the non-operational sector (barrack blocks, church and cinema) and the eastern group was the operational sector (control tower, hangar, dispersal bays, runways, engine and aircraft armament repair shops). (These hangers are now part of a small industrial estate) Photographed from the road from Crail to Balcomie golf course in May 2009: the control tower and part of the aircraft hangers. Closer view of the aircraft hangers showing the rusty corrugated iron roof. Part of the runway which is now used for go karts.

Aircraft Nicknames Aircraft Nicknames Aardvark General Dynamics F-111 Able Dog Douglas AD Skyraider Aerobee Aerojet General X-8 All Three Dead Douglas A3D Skywarrier Aluminium Overcast Convair B-36 Peacemaker Aluminium Overcast Lockheed C-5 Galaxy Aluminium Overcast Douglas C-124 Globemaster Ambar ("Barn") Beriev MBR-2 Angel Lockheed U-2 Anushka Antonov An-2 Anushka Polikarpov Po-2 Ass-Ender Curtiss XP-55 Ascender Awful Terrible Six North American AT-6 Texan Baltimore Whore Martin B-26 Marauder Bamboo Bomber Cessna UC-78 Bobcat Banjo McDonnell F2H Banshee Bantam Bomber Douglas A-4 Skyhawk Barge Douglas SBD Dauntless Bat Plane Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk Beast Curtiss SB2C Helldiver Bee Tee Vultee BT-13 Valiant Bent-Wing Bird Vought F4U Corsair Blackfish Fairey Swordfish (built by Blackburn) Blechesel ("Tin Donkey") Junkers J I Bloody Paraliser

 Handley Page 0/400 Biff Bristol F.2B Big Bird McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle Big Stick Convair B-36 Peacemaker Billy's Bomber North American B-25 Mitchell Blackbird Lockheed SR-71 Black Jet Lockheed F-117 Bleed-Air Blimp Lockheed C-130 Hercules Bone Rockwell B-1 Lancer Boomerang Northrop B-2 Spirit Brisfit Bristol F2B Britschik ("Little Shaver") Bell P-39 Airacobra Bucon Hispano HA 1112K Budget Bomber Northrop B-2 Spirit Buff Boeing B-52 Stratofortress (Big, Ugly Fat F*****) Bug Smasher Beech C-45 Expeditor Bumble Bee McDonnell XF-85 Goblin Buzz Bomb V-1 Cadillac Northrop M2 Canuck Curtiss JN-4D Catfish Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk Cee One-Oh-Boom Consolidated C-109 Liberator Chaika (Gull) Beriev Be-12 'Mail' Chaika (Gull) Polikarpov I-153 Chickenhawk Cess

na T-41 Mescalero Chipmunk Boeing RC-135C Clunk Douglas SBD Dauntless Coconutknocker Boeing B-52 Stratofortress Connie Lockeed Constellation Convertor Cessna T-37 Cradle Fairchild PT-19 Cranberry Martin B-57 Canberra Crane Sykorsky CH-54 Tarhe Crowd Killer Fairchild C-87 Packet Crowd Killer Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar Dagger Convair F-102 Delta Dagger Dart Convair F-106 Delta Dart Delta Queen Convair B-58 Hustler Deuce Convair F-102 Delta Dagger Dinosaur Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar Dogship Grumman A-6 Intruder Dollar Nineteen Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar Doodlebug V-1 Dorito MDD A-12 Double-Breasted Cub Cessna UC-78 Bobcat Double Ugly McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II Double Ugly Grumman EA-6B Prowler Dowager Ducchess Douglas C-47 Dakota Dragon Lady Lockheed U-2 Dreifinger (Three Fingers) Junkers

 Ju 88 Droop Snoot Lockheed P-38 Lightning with glass nose Egg Hughes OH-6 Cayuse Electric Jet General Dynamics F-16 Emil Messerschmitt Bf 109E Etagere (Elevator) NC.1071 Faithfull Annie Avro Anson Fat Albert Lockheed C-130 Hercules Fertile Myrtle Grumman AF-2W Guardian Fifi Grumman F3F Fliegendes Stachelschwein Short Sunderland Flying Banana Vertol CH-21 Workhorse Flying Bathtub Northrop M2F Flying Bedstead Rolls-Royce TMR Flying Carrot Westland Lysander Flying Coffin Airspeed Horsa Flying Dump Truck Douglas AD Skyraider Flying Edsel General Dynamics F-111 Flying Eggbeater Sikorsky R-4 Hoverfly Flying Gas Station Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker Flying Prostitute Martin B-26 Marauder Flying Potato Martin-Marietta X-24A Flying Flatiron Martin-Marietta X-24B Flying Shithouse Kaman HH-43 Huskie Flying Suitcase Handley Page Hampden Flying Speed Brake Lockheed Constellation Flying Washboard Ford Trim

otor FOD Vacuum Northrop F-89 Scorpion Ford Douglas F4D Skyray Fork-tailed Devil Lockheed P-38 Lightning FRED Lockheed C-5 Galaxy (Fantastic Ridiculous Economic Disaster) Fritz Messerschmitt Bf 109F Frog Martin P5M Mariner Frustrated Palm Tree Sikorsky R-4 Hoverfly Gabelschwanzteufel Lockheed P-38 Lightning (Fork-tailed devil) Gator Boeing T-43 Go Get Him Fido AIM-120 AMRAAM Ghost Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk Ginnie Vickers Virginia Gipsy Rose Lee Curtiss P-40L Warhawk Gliding Electric Show Grumman EA-6B Prowler GLOB Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker (Ground Loving Old Bastard) Gooney Bird Douglas C-47 Dakota Grach Suchoi Su-25 Grand Old Lady Douglas C-47 Dakota Ground Gripper De Havilland Trident Ground Loving Whore Republic F-84F Thunderstreak Guppy Grumman AF-2W Guardian Gustav Messerschmitt Bf 109G Gutless Cutlass V

ought F7U Cutlass Habu Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Halibag Handley Page Halifax Heinneman's Hot Rod Douglas A-4 Skyhawk Helldiver Curtiss F8C Herk Lockheed C-130 Hercules Hog Republic F-84 Thunderjet Hog Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II Hog Lockheed C-130 Hercules Hog Bell UH-1 Iroquois Hog Nose Boeing RC-135M Hook Boeing CH-47 Chinook Huey Bell UH-1 Iroquois Huey Cobra Bell AH-1 Cobra Hummer Cessna T-37 Hummer Grumman E-2 Hawkeye Hun North American F-100 Super Sabre Iron Butterfly Republic F-105 Thunderchief Ironworks Grumman Ishak ("Jackass") Polikarpov I-16 Jenny Curtiss JN Jug Republic P-47 Thunderbolt Jump Jet BAe/MDD AV-8 Harrier Kaasjager (Cheese fighter) North American F-86K Sabre Katy Payen Pa 49 Katyusha Tupolev SB-2 Kanonenvogel Junkers Ju 87G Kobry ("

Cobra") Bell P-39 Airacobra Kraft Ei (power egg) Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet Kukuruznik Antonov An-2 Lanc Avro Lancaster Lawn Dart General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon Lawn Dart Rockwell B-1 Lancer Lead Sled McDonnell F3H Demon Lead Sled Republic F-84 Thunderjet Lead Sled Republic F-105 Thunderchief Lead Sled Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Lead Sled Boeing RC-135U Lieutenant Eater Republic F-84 Thunderjet Little Hummer General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon Little Hummer Douglas A-26 Invader Little Racer Douglas A-26 Invader Lizzie Westland Lysander Loach Hughes OH-6 Cayuse Magnesium Overcast Convair B-36 Peacemaker Man-Eater LTV A-7 Corsair II Maytag Messerschmitt Ryan PT-22 Recruit Meatbox Gloster Meteor Mezek ("Mule") Avia S-199 MiG Master Vought F8U Crusader Mighty Iron Hardware Republic F-105 Thunderchief Mighty Mite Douglas A-4 Skyhawk Monkeyknocker

 Boeing B-52 Stratofortress Mos Neata (Geezer) I.A.R.

39 Mosca (Fly) Polikarpov I-16 Nighthawk Lockheed F-117 Ninak De Havilland D.H.9A North American Safety Jet North American T-2 Buckeye Old Metuselah Douglas C-47 Dakota Old Shaky Douglas C-124 Globemaster Old Smokey McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II Olive on a toothpick Hughes OH-6 Cayuse One-Oh-Wonder McDonnell F-101 Voodoo Overcast North American B-70 Valkyrie Panzerknacker Junkers Ju 87G Peacemaker Convair B-36 Pea Shooter Boeing P-26 Peter Dash Flash North American P-51 Mustang Pinball Bell RP-63 Kingcobra Placid Plodder Douglas C-47 Dakota Plastic Bug McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet Polecat Grumman X-29 Porker Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II Pregnant Beast Grumman TBF Avenger Puff, the Magic Dragon Douglas AC-47 Pylly Walteri Brewster B-239 Buffalo (Finnish) (Bustling Walter) Queen Boeing B-17

 Flying Fortress Q-bird Grumman EA-6B Prowler Queer Grumman EA-6B Prowler Radial Interceptor Beech T-34 Mentor Rhapsody in Glue Cessna UC-78 Bobcat Rhino McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II Sabre Dog North American F-86D Sabre Scarier BAe/MDD AV-8 Harrier Scrapper Grumman AF-2S Guardian Seven Balls Two Convair XF-92 Shagbat Supermarine Walrus Shar BAe Sea Harrier Shithook Boeing CH-47 Chinook Silver Bullet Convair XP-81 Silver Dollar North American F-100 Super Sabre Silver Sow Boeing C-135 Six Convair F-106 Delta Dart Six Shooter Convair F-106 Delta Dart Skooter Douglas A-4 Skyhawk Skunk Works Lockheed's Burbank plant Skycrane Sykorsky CH-54 Tarhe Skyhog Douglas A-4 Skyhawk SLAT Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II (Slow, Low Aerial Target) Sled Lockheed SR-71 Slick Bell UH-1 Iroquois Slick Chick North

 American RF-100A Slow But Deadly Douglas SBD Dauntless Slow Navy Bomber Beech SNB Kansan Sluf LTV A-7 Corsair II (Short, little ugly fellah) Snake Bell AH-1 Cobra Snake Lockheed P2V Neptune Son of a Bitch 2nd Class Curtiss SB2C Helldiver Spad Douglas A-1 Skyraider Spam Can North American P-51 Mustang Sparkvark Grumman EF-111 Raven Speedy Three Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless Spit Supermarine Spitfire Squash Bomber Republic F-105 Thunderchief Staggerwing Beech 17 Superbolt Republic P-47 Thunderbolt with 'bubble' cockpit.

Stanley Steamer Northrop F-89 Scorpion Star Lizard Lockheed C-141 Starlifter Sterile Arrow Grumman EA-6B Prowler Stoof Grumman S2F Tracker Strat Boeing 377 Stratocruiser Stratobladder Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker Strike Pig Boeing T-43 Stringbag Fairey Swordfish Stuka Junkers Ju-87 Super Hog Republic F-84F Thunderstreak Super Shitter Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion Swinger General Dynamics F-111 Switchblade General Dynamics F-111 Swoose Goose Vultee XP-54 Tadpole Grumman A-6 Intruder Taivaan Helmi (Sky Pearl) Brewster B-239 Buffalo (Finnish) Tank Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker Tante Ju Junkers Ju 52/3m Tausendfussler Arado Ar 232 T-bird Lockheed T-33 T-bolt Republic P-47 Thunderbolt Tennis Court McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle Thud Republic F-105 Thunderchief Thunder Piglet Fairchild Republic T

-46A Thunderscreech Republic XF-84H Tin Goose Ford Trimotor Tinker Toy Douglas A-4 Skyhawk Tin Mossie Vickers 432 Torbeau Bristol Beaufighter TF.X Tripehound Sopwith Triplane Triple Threat Republic F-105 Thunderchief Tsetse De Havilland Mosquito FB Mk.XVIII T-tailed Mountain Magnet Lockheed C-141 Starlifter Tub Convair TF-102 Delta Dagger Turkey Grumman F-14 Tomcat Turkey Grumman TBF Avenger Tweet Cessna T-37 Tweety Bird Cessna T-37 Ubiytsa (Killer) Yakovlev Yak-3U Ultra Hog Republic F-105 Thunderchief Useless 78 Cessna UC-78 Bobcat Useless Deuce Lockheed U-2 Velcro Hawk Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk Vibrator Vultee BT-13 Valiant Viper General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon Voting Member F-16 pilot Warthog Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II Whale Douglas F3D Skynight Whale Douglas A3D Skywarrior

 Whispering Death Vought F4U Corsair (apocryphical?) Whispering Death Bristol Beaufighter Whistling Shitcan BAe/MDD AV-8 Harrier White Rocket Northrp T-38 Talon Widow-Maker Martin B-26 Marauder Willy Fudd Grumman W2F Wimpy Vickers Wellington Wobblin' Goblin Lockheed F-117 World's Largest Dog Whistle Cessna T-37 Yastreb (Hawk) Polikarpov I-16 Yastrebok (Little Hawk) Polikarpov I-16, also for other fighters Yellow Peril Stearman N2S / PT-17 Kaydet Emmanuel Gustin Swordfish Fairey Swordfish II (LS326) [@ RAF Waddington] The Swordfish nicknamed the ï¿½Stringbagï¿½ was derived from the private-venture Fairey TSR II (Torpedo-Spotter-Reconnaissance II).

The prototype first flew in March 1933 but was lost in an accident in the following September. Undeterred, the Company's design team followed up with a slightly larger development, the TSR II. The prototype powered by a Pegasus radial engine, K4190, flew for the first time on 17th April 1934 and a contract for 86 production Swordfish 1 (eventually 992 built) aircraft was placed on the 17th April 1935. The Swordfish was armed with a single fixed Vickers 7.7 mm (0.303 inch) machine gun firing forward and a rear-mounted Vickers K or Lewis 7.7 mm gun handled by the radioman-gunner. The type entered Fleet Air Arm (FAA) service with 825 Squadron in July 1936 with aircraft K5936 ï¿½978ï¿½ on HMS Glorious. By the outbreak of WW2 689 Swordfish had been delivered or were on order. Thirteen squadrons were equipped with the type and a further 12 were formed during the war years.

In 1939 the RAF expressed an interest with the result that five Mk I aircraft, P4026-P4030, were delivered to RAF Seletar in August 1939, they became part of B Flight Spotter Unit based at RAF Seletar from 1st October 1939 and later 4 AACU Seletar until March 1941. LS326 was built as a Swordfish II (a "Blackfish") by Blackburn and delivered to the Royal Navy at Donibristle, Scotland, on the 17th August 1943. In the following October LS326 was allocated to 836 NAS (Navy Air Squadron) based at Maydown, Northern Ireland. While with 836 Squadron LS326 flew anti-submarine sorties protecting the trans-Atlantic convoys, first with "L Flight" embarked on the oil tanker MV Rapana (MAC ship) and from February 1944 with "K Flight" operating from the grain ship MV Empire MacCallum (MAC ship).

On retirements from front-line duties LS326 finished the WW2 on training and communication duties at Royal Naval Air Station Culham, Oxfordshire, then at Worthy Down, Hampshire. Purchased by the Fairey Aviation Company in 1945 and registered as G-AJVH LS326 was placed into storage at White Waltham Airfield, the home of West London London Aero Club, later in the year. Restored in 1955, LS326 continued to fly from White Waltham Airfield. In 1959 LS326 was repainted as aircraft "5A" from 825 NAS to play a starring role in the 1960 black-and-white British war film "Sink the Bismarck!" starring Kenneth More. Presented to the Royal Navy by the Westland Aircraft Company in September 1960, LS326 kept the '5A' identity and colour scheme until 1986. Re-covered at Booker Airfield in 1987 and re-painted in the 836 NAS "MV Rapana" colours and markings.

In the late 1990's LS326 was named the "City of Liverpool" in recognition of the part played by the people of Liverpool in the Battle of the Atlantic. Grounded in early 2000 due to corrosion in the wing spars but following extensive work by BAE Systems at Brough LS326 resumed flying again in July 2008. LS326 is owned by the Royal Navy Historic Flight which is based at RNAS Yeovilton. Fairey Swordfish II (HS618) [@ Fleet Air Arm Museum] It was in the Mediterranean Theatre that the Swordfish really proved its worth. Swordfish inflicted considerable damage on Italian shipping, culminating in the spectacular night attack on the Italian fleet at Taranto on the 11th November 1940 by 21 Swordfish of 815 and 819 Squadrons from HMS Illustrious. At a stroke, the Italian battle fleet was reduced from six to three capital ships at a crustal period of the war and for the loss of only two Swordfish.

Other notable Swordfish actions included the Battle of Cape Matapan in March 1941, the crippling of the German battleship Bismarck in May 1941 by Swordfish from HMS Ark Royal and the gallant action against the Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugene during the famous "Channel Dash" in February 1942, when all six Swordfish of 825 Squadron involved were shot down. HS618 was built by Blackburn as a Swordfish II in 1943 ( a "Blackfish"). Delivered to the Royal Navy at Donibristle, Scotland, on the 30th April 1943 HS618 was allocated to 834 NAS (Navy Air Squadron) during May 1943 and embarked on HMS Hunter. HMS Hunter was an Escort Carrier lent to Britain by the United States Government and served with the British Western Approaches Command mainly in the Atlantic convoy defence role. During July HMS Hunter picked up 834 Squadron, flying a mix of Swordfish and Supermarine L.II Seafires to escort a convoy to Gibraltar arriving in August.

HS618 was badly damaged in the ships hanger when a Seafire broke loose during a gale on the 4th August. Although no longer airworthy HS618 was allocated to the instructional airframe role. HS618 could have taken part in the Salerno landings and subsequently transferring with 834 in September 1943 to HMS Battler for Aden and subsequently Bombay, to provide anti-submarine patrols and to give support to convoys in the Indian Ocean. The Swordfish of 834 Squadron were replaced from April 1944 with the Grumman Wildcat V . Following WW2 HS618 was allocated to the Royal Naval Engineering College Manadon, Plymouth, and then to the FAA Museum in 1965. After 1942 the Swordfish was replaced in its torpedo-bombing role by the Fairey Albacore (also a biplane), Fairey Barracuda (a monoplane) and Grumman Avenger and so the Swordfish adopted the anti-submarine role and was provided with radar and with air-surface rockets.

The Swordfish II (1,080 built), which appeared in 1943, had metal covered lower wings, enabling it to carry rockets. The Swordfish III (320 built) carried Air to Surface Vessel (ASV) radar in housing between the main landing gear legs. The centrimetric radar had a range of about 25 miles against ships and in good conditions also against U-boats, but it would detect a Schnorkel only in very calm seas and at distances below 5 miles. All three Swordfish variants were converted to Swordfish IV standard (closed, heated cockpit) for service with the Royal Canadian Air (RCAF) and many Is we're converted as twin-float seaplanes. Fairey Swordfish III (NF370) [@ RAF Duxford] NF370 was built by Blackburn Aircraft Factory (a "Blackfish") at Sherburn-in-Elmet, Yorkshire, and entered Fleet Air Arm service on the 1st April 1944. However during January 1945 NF370 was transferred to the RAF's 119 Squadron based at Bircham Newton in Norfolk.

This squadron specialised in anti-shipping patrols at night, their quarry being enemy E-boats and R-boats operating along the Dutch coast and was the only RAF squadron to operate the Swordfish III. Formed on the 19th July 1944 from the Albacore Flight of 415 Squadron RCAF, the rest of the Squadron was transferred to Bomber Command. In October 1944 119 Squadron moved to Belgium and midget submarines were added to its targets. In January 1945 ASV-equipped Swordfish IIIs replaced the Albacores. Three midget-submarines were destroyed before the Squadron flew on its last patrol on the 11th May 1945. The squadron returned to the UK and was disbanded at Bircham Newton on the 25th May 1945. NF370 returned in 1946 to the Royal Navy and was acquired by the Imperial War Museum in 1952.

Allocated to RAF Duxford in 1986 NF370 underwent restoration from 1998 in the attempt to return the airframe to an airworthy condition (NF370 is actually fitted with a non-functional Pegasus engine). In 2005 was repainted in the livery of 119 Squadron (as shown in the photos). Only two Mark IIIs are left in the world. An aerial torpedo can be seen next to the aircraft. The Swordfish was very successful in the anti-submarine role. In general the Swordfish flew patrols at night, patrolling up to 145 Km ahead of the convoy. Operating from escort carriers and MAC (Merchant Aircraft Carrier) ships, targets were located by the on board radar and investigated by dropping flares. Swordfish production ended on the 18th August 1944 by which time 2391 aircraft had been built, 692 by Fairey and 1,699 by the Blackburn Aircraft Company (referred to as Blackfish) at Sherburn-in-Elmet.

The final Swordfish was delivered in August 1944 and the last front-line FAA flew Swordfish on the 21st May 1945 when 836 Squadron was disbanded. The last training squadron was disbanded in the summer of 1946.

Question: What was the nickname of the WW2 aircraft - Fairey Swordfish?
Answer: STRINGBAG